A/N: Hey guys! This plot bunny has been bugging me for the past two days! So heres the very first Avatar ROTC style fic thinger! YEAH!
Summary: Zuko somehow gets in my ROTC class and experiences life ROTC style. Also the flight plays a little game called Chase the Zuko.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not the Avatar co, or ROTC or even the people! I do however own the game of Chase the Zuko. Unless thats already been done.
R&R guys! I'll love you forever.
It was a normal day to say the least. Well as normal as you can get with the kind of people you tend to be around.
It's a normal day when you walk out of Informal Geometry; take a right down the crowded hallway to the end of the lockers. It's normal once you get to the end of the lockers and end up in an open area of the school with a display case in the middle, and than you take yet another right down a long empty hallway. You see, this hallway is the kind where your footsteps echo like in those old movies, your eyes fixed on the end of it.
At least, until the freshmen and sophomores start running down the hallway, jabbering about the class' activities of that day. That's when you hug whatever you're carrying and go towards the right wall until your stuff is brushing against it. Soon they merge with the rest of the school, than you get that old movie feeling again.
On a normal day you'd walk to the end of the hallway and meet a wall, before that wall there's another hallway going right-to-left. The right hall is abandoned accept for maybe the occasional janitor. To the left it goes, than takes a jagged 95 degree turn. On the average day you'd go to the left. You'd wonder why they have a garage door like thing on the right side of the hall leading to the gym and than an average door a little ways down.
Across from the average door is a staircase. You'd go up the staircase, look to the left and see the Health room. You take a sharp right and there is another staircase. You go up it, and start to wonder why 7th hour is so out of the way. You go down the hall that takes a 160 degree turn and you see a door wide open with a mirror on it. The hallway isn't long so it takes you a maximum of 30 seconds if you're slow.
You look up from the mirror on the open door, and onto the high wall. There you see the symbol for Air Force JROTC. Or AFJROTC for short, and if you want it shorter it's just ROTC. You walk down the hall; on your right is the door to ROTC-East, or the big empty space behind the high-rise-second-floor-bleachers above the gym. Then the door to the left is the class itself.
The class is a good size. You walk in and you're one of the first ones there. You see iMac style computers lining the wall that extends a foot or so past the Flight Commander and Flight Sergeant's desk. Also they are on the wall in front of you going until you see a desk in the left corner of the front wall with random stuff on it. The room has three long desks in each row, and there are three rows. The ROTC Room extends back but that's where Chief and Colonel's offices are.
You'd see model airplanes from pre WWI to the newest Stealth Bomber. All organized of course. To the right there are cubbies or "boxes" to where some people/jobs have their own. The Deputy Group Commander and each of the five flights for example. There are much more of course. Further to the right there is a desk with a computer on it, parallel to the left wall. Than in the front was the white board and two dry-erase calendars on each side. There in the corners of the board there are the assignments from the day before, that day and tomorrow for the AS ones and twos and AS threes and fours.
Directly in front of you was a heavy metal door with windows to the left of it. Outside that door was a metal staircase, which leads to the ally-way by the school. You'd be able to see the football field and track around it, complimented by the normal high school white outdoor stadium. In the front of the room there is a blue podium of which the Flight Sergeant takes attendance and reads announcements. It to has the air force symbol on it like the outside of the metal door. The top can be taken off if you are simply too short to see over it and the best part about it is: it rolls.
That is, all those events happen on a normal, average, or ordinary day. There is no one up there but the teacher's and some random person, sitting in the spot closest to the door. I knew of course that the person who is there first was gone.
The random person was an interesting addition to the seemingly normal ROTC room. He had on a trench coat and his hair covered the left side of his face. The strange addition turned his head towards me as I made an entry into the room. I wasn't sure but I thought I saw what appeared to be a Zuko-style scar on the left side of his face. So naturally the first thing that came to mind was Zuko. I quickly set my stuff down in my personal designated spot.
After that I did what only I could do; I went up to the stranger and asked his name.
By that time a few more people came into the class. You see, my flight is the smallest, having only nine people, two of which were Flight Commanders so whatever they did, didn't count for us. The people that were there either ignored the new addition or made me "interrogate" him. So I did.
By this time the stranger answered the question about his name. "I'm Zuko."
My mouth dropped to a noticeable degree. That is again when I did what only I could do. "Wait. Zuko? As in Fire Lord Zuko, as in fire-"I was cut off by a hand over my mouth.
"Hey quiet! No one knows that." He harshly whispered back to me. "And how do you?"
Well as luck would have it no one but one person saw what had happened. The person that did see was Sam, my Flight Commander and friend.
"What'd you do this time?" She asked me.
Zuko tensed. So I thought quickly and came up with a plan; randomly pull an excuse out of my butt.
"I asked too many questions." I stated.
To both mine and Zuko's luck, she believed it. "Of course. Well than, you'll be the person to tell him how things work, and do it right," She than turned to Zuko. "When the bell rings you stand behind your desk at Parade Rest until the command is given, than you stay at Parade Rest until your last name is called, you say yes ma'am and go to attention. When someone else says yes ma'am you go back to Parade Rest until a command is given." Zuko nodded. Sam than dragged me to my spot so I didn't "Harass" the one-day-cadet.
When I got to my spot I began to think of what Zuko's last name might be.
At that moment Sabrina, my other friend and Flight Sergeant called everyone to attention.
"Flight! Atten-tion!" We all snapped to attention. "Parade Rest, attention for roll-call."
This is what I've been waiting for. Zuko's last name.
"Agni." Sabrina said.
"Here ma'am." came Zuko's half hearted reply.
Surprisingly that's what I expected… We shortly got through with roll-call.
"Flight Atten-tion!" We went to attention again. "Seats!" We than sat down.
Announcements were one of the most interesting parts of the ROTC day. The announcements went on without any interruptions. Than came the 'This Day in History' segment of which I always miss. Than came the 'Interesting Fact' part.
"Interesting Fact: 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321" Sabrina said, finishing the announcements. "Wait? How can that equal all of that?"
"Because whoever thought that up was high on crack going UNH!" Travis quickly replied.
The entire flight minus Zuko cracked up laughing; Zuko did crack a smile though. Andrew and Chris also added their commentary.
"At ease guys." Sam said. The laughing died down shortly after. "How are you guys doing today?" She said shortly after.
"Outstanding ma'am!" The flight replied in unison.
We than waited for a few minutes for Colonel to get ready and in position. During that time we discussed how all those ones could equal all those numbers.
"You guys ready to get started today?" Sam said once Colonel was ready.
"Yes ma'am!" The flight said in unison and went to attention in the chairs.
Colonel walked up to the podium and rolled it to the right so it would almost collide with the lone computer desk. "Thank you ma'am." He said to Sam. He than saluted the flight. "Good afternoon Echo." He said, addressing the flight by 'name'.
"Good afternoon sir!" We replied. We relaxed in our seats.
Colonel than went on about how we need to increase our Flight raffle ticket sales. We did need to increase them. Colonel than addressed Zuko. "So everyone, in the back is Zuko. He'll be with us today. So be nice." He said to us. "Don't worry they don't bite." He said to Zuko. "Commander their all yours. Go drill them." He than walked back to his office and gave Zuko a pat on the back on the way. Zuko just shrank down into his seat.
Sabrina and Sam got up from their seats.
"Flight! Fall into the isles!" Sabrina said.
We did as we were told. In my lane there was Andrew, me, Alyssa and Dan. In the other isle was Travis as Guide-On than followed Zuko, and Chris. Sam told Zuko to scream forward and follow Travis when told. Andrew would than say stand-fast.
"Columns file from the right to the ROTC-East, FORWARD!" Sabrina said loudly.
Zuko whispered forward and Andrew squeaked stand-fast. In short, it failed.
"Fail! Again!" Sam said.
"Columns file from the right to the ROTC-East, FORWARD!" Sabrina said again.
Zuko's reply was the same and Andrew's was even squeakier. Again it was fail
Sam sighed. "Harch!" She ordered with an annoyed sigh.
Zuko followed Travis who went across the small hall to ROTC-East. Andrew ordered our row to go with a "Forward, harch". Soon we were following the others.
We dispersed in the ROTC-East and started to fall in. I pointed out to Zuko where he should go.
"Flight! Fall In!" Sabrina yelled. We were already where we needed to be.
"Nice. Very nice. Our flight's on autopilot today. Even Sunshine back there even knows what to do." Sam said. Zuko gave an angry sigh in response. "Oh suck it up Sunshine-Boy. So who's all feeling like a knock-out drill today?"
Everyone but Zuko excitedly agreed.
"Pssst. What's a knock-out drill?" Zuko asked.
"You basically drill and when you screw up, you're out." I replied.
Zuko nodded a thank you.
"Ok everyone you have five seconds to get your shits, giggles, whatever out." Sam said.
The flight was than adjusting and making jokes to make others laugh.
"Times up! Knock-Out drill begins now!" Sabrina said. She would be the one commanding this round.
"Right hase." The turned right. Even Zuko got this one right. Travis auto-posted with the guide-on.
"Forward, harch!" We started to march forward. From the corner of my eye, I saw Zuko, who was out of step.
"Sunshine you're out of step. Get out." Sam said. Sam started to whisper something in Sabrina's ear.
Zuko was going the opposite way of the flight now.
"To the rear, harch!" The flight than started to go in Zuko's direction. He made a right to get out of the way.
"Right flank, harch!" Now we were going in Zuko direction again. He dodged out of the way.
"Left flank, harch!" Again we were going in Zuko's direction. This went on for the rest of the knock-out drill and the other ones to come. Soon it was time to go in the class room again.
"Flight! Fall in!" Sabrina ordered. We fell in as usual. "Columns file from the right to the ROTC room, FORWARD!"
This time the forward and the stand-fast could be heard throughout the gym, considering the people in the front.
"Harch!" Sam ordered.
Travis did a right flank and started going in random turns and twists all the way back to the ROTC room. Of which we also had to do.
"Don't snake it, Travis!" Sam said while laughing.
We entered the room and were at parade hest behind our seats.
"Echo Flight guide-on posted!" Travis said.
"Hoorah!" The flight screamed.
"Seats!" Sam ordered. We all sat down, talking about our day.
"So Sunshine how'd you like your day?" Sam said sarcastically.
"Exhilarating." Zuko replied sarcastically.
The flight laughed again.
"Flight! Prepare for dismissal!" Sabrina said. We all were at parade hest.
"Sell tickets, don't stack the chairs, restock the fridge, and don't leave until the bell rings, have a good day." Sam said.
"You too ma'am!" We replied.
We had five minutes downtime so I decided to go and talk to Zuko.
"So, how do you like the weird flight of the Echo-ness?" I asked.
"Would anyone be offended if I said that, in some aspects, Sam is like a ROTC version of my father, first impression wise?" He asked.
"Nope." I answered. "So what brings you here?"
Zuko shrugged. He didn't know. He just ended up here.
"You do know, Zuko. That you could go all "Chase Sokka with the Imperial Firebenders ROTC style" now." I suggested.
"That's an excellent idea." Zuko said with an evil grin across his face.
The last bell rang. I went out the door that went to the hallway and Zuko went to the one leading outside.
I began to wonder many things on the way to the bus; would I ever see Zuko again by chance, how did he get here, did he ever get back to the Fire Nation, will there be a decent seat on the bus today?
I know two things for sure: 1, I never saw Zuko again, and 2, he really sucked at drilling.
I exited the building and went to the bus area and waited. The people came and the buses shortly after. I walked up the stairs to see that the little kids were every where. Finding a good seat would prove difficult.
oOoOo
"Right flank!" Zuko commanded. The Imperial Firebenders followed orders.
"Left flank!" Zuko commanded again. The guards again followed orders.
Zuko aimlessly drilled the Imperial Firebenders around his throne room. Aang, Katara, Toph, Suki, Zuko and even some of the Imperial Firebenders were laughing.
"Hey Zuko! Stop it!!! This isn't funny!" Sokka said as he dodged some of the guards and got behind them.
"To the rear, harch!" Zuko commanded. The guards started towards Sokka again.
"Oh come one!" Sokka whined.
Zuko only laughed. ROTC was a good thing after all.